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Why is everyone talking about work-life balance and how to achieve it in your company?
Due to advances in technology and a culture of achievement that motivates people to deliver exceptional results, continuous engagement has become the norm. Many people get used to checking email even on vacation, finishing a project on weekends and responding to colleagues in work chats after the end of the working day. However, this violation of the boundaries between work and personal life is a direct path to stress and burnout, which negatively affects both mental health and the work process. That is why today more and more people are talking about the importance of the concept of work-life balance.
Due to advances in technology and a culture of achievement that motivates people to deliver exceptional results, continuous engagement has become the norm. Many people get used to checking email even on vacation, finishing a project on weekends and responding to colleagues in work chats after the end of the working day. However, this violation of the boundaries between work and personal life is a direct path to stress and burnout, which negatively affects both mental health and the work process. That is why today more and more people are talking about the importance of the concept of work-life balance.
What is work-life balance?
What is work-life balance?
Work-life balance is a term that describes the necessary balance between the time allotted for work and other aspects of life — for example, hobbies, family, self-development and leisure. Each person has a different balance, but the areas they affect are similar: mental health, physical health and overall productivity.
In a working race, we often forget about sleep and proper nutrition, we cannot find time for sports and other hobbies. But even if you really love your job, you cannot be constantly involved in the work process — this negatively affects the general condition of the body. The main idea of the concept of work-life balance is that rest is not time stolen from you and your development, but a chance to reboot and return to everyday affairs with renewed vigor.
In a working race, we often forget about sleep and proper nutrition, we cannot find time for sports and other hobbies. But even if you really love your job, you cannot be constantly involved in the work process — this negatively affects the general condition of the body. The main idea of the concept of work-life balance is that rest is not time stolen from you and your development, but a chance to reboot and return to everyday affairs with renewed vigor.
Work-life balance is a term that describes the necessary balance between the time allotted for work and other aspects of life — for example, hobbies, family, self-development and leisure. Each person has a different balance, but the areas they affect are similar: mental health, physical health and overall productivity.
In a working race, we often forget about sleep and proper nutrition, we cannot find time for sports and other hobbies. But even if you really love your job, you cannot be constantly involved in the work process — this negatively affects the general condition of the body. The main idea of the concept of work-life balance is that rest is not time stolen from you and your development, but a chance to reboot and return to everyday affairs with renewed vigor.
In a working race, we often forget about sleep and proper nutrition, we cannot find time for sports and other hobbies. But even if you really love your job, you cannot be constantly involved in the work process — this negatively affects the general condition of the body. The main idea of the concept of work-life balance is that rest is not time stolen from you and your development, but a chance to reboot and return to everyday affairs with renewed vigor.
Why has the concept of work-life balance become popular?
Why has the concept of work-life balance become popular?
Despite the fact that the term work-life balance appeared back in the 1980s, it has been really actively talked about this concept in the last two years. This is due to the fact that the pandemic disrupted the way employees work around the world — when the phrase "work schedule" became a formality, it became very difficult to draw the line between "personal" and "work". All this led to an increased risk of professional burnout and the emergence of technostress — feelings of anxiety and irritation from the fact that you do not have time to respond to someone’s message.
Informational, physical and psychological overloads sooner or later lead to professional burnout and a decrease in engagement — the employee will lose enthusiasm and will not be able to do his job efficiently. And if there is not one such employee, but a whole department? For business, this means one thing — financial and personnel losses.
Conversely, if employees know exactly where work ends and rest starts, their effectiveness increases. They are less stressed and more likely to take the initiative. Therefore, today organizations around the world are making the concept of work-life balance a part of their corporate values.
Informational, physical and psychological overloads sooner or later lead to professional burnout and a decrease in engagement — the employee will lose enthusiasm and will not be able to do his job efficiently. And if there is not one such employee, but a whole department? For business, this means one thing — financial and personnel losses.
Conversely, if employees know exactly where work ends and rest starts, their effectiveness increases. They are less stressed and more likely to take the initiative. Therefore, today organizations around the world are making the concept of work-life balance a part of their corporate values.
Despite the fact that the term work-life balance appeared back in the 1980s, it has been really actively talked about this concept in the last two years. This is due to the fact that the pandemic disrupted the way employees work around the world — when the phrase "work schedule" became a formality, it became very difficult to draw the line between "personal" and "work". All this led to an increased risk of professional burnout and the emergence of technostress — feelings of anxiety and irritation from the fact that you do not have time to respond to someone’s message.
Informational, physical and psychological overloads sooner or later lead to professional burnout and a decrease in engagement — the employee will lose enthusiasm and will not be able to do his job efficiently. And if there is not one such employee, but a whole department? For business, this means one thing — financial and personnel losses.
Conversely, if employees know exactly where work ends and rest starts, their effectiveness increases. They are less stressed and more likely to take the initiative. Therefore, today organizations around the world are making the concept of work-life balance a part of their corporate values.
Informational, physical and psychological overloads sooner or later lead to professional burnout and a decrease in engagement — the employee will lose enthusiasm and will not be able to do his job efficiently. And if there is not one such employee, but a whole department? For business, this means one thing — financial and personnel losses.
Conversely, if employees know exactly where work ends and rest starts, their effectiveness increases. They are less stressed and more likely to take the initiative. Therefore, today organizations around the world are making the concept of work-life balance a part of their corporate values.
How to maintain work-life balance in your organization?
How to maintain work-life balance in your organization?
Find out exactly what employees need
You will not be able to solve the problem if you do not know its essence, and it is best to start the path to establishing a work-life balance with a questionnaire survey of the staff. This will help you understand what subtleties of the workflow need to change: the number of working hours, schedule flexibility, benefits.
Flexible schedule
With this format, employees gain more control over their own lives — for example, they can adjust the working day to their biological clock, thereby increasing their productivity. Flexibility shows that you value the employee not only as a unit of work, but also as a person.
The ability to work remotely
Many employers fear that an employee will not work very efficiently from home. However, research suggests the opposite: workers are 13% more productive at home than in the office. Give employees the opportunity to work from home for 1−2 days — this will allow them to take care of themselves, while not missing work.
Quality over quantity
Long hours of work negatively impact employee productivity and mental health. Research shows that when working overtime, 1 in 3 employees feel anxious and 1 in 2 employees feel irritable. So instead of rewarding employees for overwork, focus on efficiency.
Promote health initiatives
Long hours of work often force employees to sacrifice their health and physical activity. But you can motivate the staff to take care of themselves: for example, offer a discount on a membership to a fitness club near the office.
Find out exactly what employees need
You will not be able to solve the problem if you do not know its essence, and it is best to start the path to establishing a work-life balance with a questionnaire survey of the staff. This will help you understand what subtleties of the workflow need to change: the number of working hours, schedule flexibility, benefits.
Flexible schedule
With this format, employees gain more control over their own lives — for example, they can adjust the working day to their biological clock, thereby increasing their productivity. Flexibility shows that you value the employee not only as a unit of work, but also as a person.
The ability to work remotely
Many employers fear that an employee will not work very efficiently from home. However, research suggests the opposite: workers are 13% more productive at home than in the office. Give employees the opportunity to work from home for 1−2 days — this will allow them to take care of themselves, while not missing work.
Quality over quantity
Long hours of work negatively impact employee productivity and mental health. Research shows that when working overtime, 1 in 3 employees feel anxious and 1 in 2 employees feel irritable. So instead of rewarding employees for overwork, focus on efficiency.
Promote health initiatives
Long hours of work often force employees to sacrifice their health and physical activity. But you can motivate the staff to take care of themselves: for example, offer a discount on a membership to a fitness club near the office.
How to Achieve Work-Life Balance: An Employee Checklist
How to Achieve Work-Life Balance: An Employee Checklist
Of course, the company must take care of maintaining the balance between work and personal life of the staff, but the employees themselves can also contribute to this. Below are three important rules, following which you will reduce the likelihood of burnout in the workplace.
Of course, the company must take care of maintaining the balance between work and personal life of the staff, but the employees themselves can also contribute to this. Below are three important rules, following which you will reduce the likelihood of burnout in the workplace.
- Distribute tasks wiselyWhen scheduling, evaluate tasks based on two criteria: importance and urgency. Perform important and urgent tasks during the period of greatest working capacity: if you are a morning person, then in the morning, if an owl — in the evening. This will make you more productive.
- Learn to say noAvoid tasks that you cannot fit into your regular work schedule without sacrificing free time. If you do find yourself overwhelmed, figure out why it happened and try to prevent it from happening in the future.
- Set aside time for sportsEven 15 minutes of exercise a day can significantly reduce your stress — a must on a busy schedule. Exercise promotes the release of endorphins that lift your mood and improve brain function.
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